After the split, Jeremy Corbyn turns to his 'old friend’ Tony Benn

The Labour leading is trying to push his radical reforms of adult education.

As seven MPs have resigned from Labour, what's top of Jeremy Corbyn’s in tray?

The Labour leader spoke at the annual conference of the manufacturers’ group Make UK, in his first public appearance since the announcement by the breakaway MPs.

“I regret that seven MPs decided they would no long remain part of the Labour party. I thank them for their work,” Corbyn said, when asked about their departure.

But he added: “I hope they realise they were elected to parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future; that was based around a more equal and fairer society; that was based around social justice – and it is that programme that we are going to put to the electorate in the future, that does have enormous support. They were elected to carry out those policies. They decided to go somewhere else.”

Meanwhile his speech was devoted to Labour’s plans for sparking a “renaissance” of manufacturing; and radical reforms of adult education.

He announced the creation of a new commission on adult education, including Estelle Morris who resigned as education secretary in 2002 saying she did not feel up to the job.

And he quoted an old mate:

“My old friend Tony Benn used to say that education should be like an escalator, going alongside you throughout life, so that you can get on and off it when you want to."